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RI Blog #7: It’s Spring, And A Young Man’s Heart Turns To…

I rowed last night and it was about 35 degrees with a snappy, gusty breeze. My back was sore from lifting earlier in the day (see “bulking up” blog). And I realized the Van Dusen that I’ve been using while my King is in the shop is a lot less forgiving in the chop and wind than the King. And I’ve only “bulked up” a few pounds, so I’m not strong enough to muscle through the headwinds like I want to.

But mainly it was cold. DAMN cold. And yet, just being out on the water, hanging around the boathouse, seeing my friends…for a masters rower who avoids the boathouse from December until whenever it starts warming up, it’s an uplifting experience unlike anything else.

I’ve been there and done the all-winter erging thing, where you get to know the boathouse and all its inhabitants (including rats and squirrels) a lot more intimately than you ever wanted to. And you come to despise the sight of a rowing machine and yearn to pull real oars through the water. There’s a lot to be said for doing something totally different. If I were independently wealthy, I’d travel somewhere warm! Or at least be a ski bum. But for me, the “doing something different” consists of going to the gym mid-day during work and doing yoga, elliptical, maybe one erg a week, and some weights. Because then, when you return to the boathouse and get that first spring day, which for me would be TODAY (it’s almost 60 degrees out there!!!), it’s like heaven. The next step is…getting up in the morning. Now that would really be a miracle.

That’s it for this week – short & sweet! Unlike my stroke these days, which is long and choppy. Where is the technique this time of year? Nowhere at all. That’s why we have coaches. I just learned our first “fun” race – the Crusher Casey regatta – is in two weeks. Man do I have a lot of work to do.